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That Ed Markey, the establishment favorite, agreed to so many debates against the underdog suggests that this contest has become a real dogfight.

“Voters deserve to hear in-depth debates on the issues facing the state and the nation, and I look forward to scheduling these as soon as possible,” added Markey, still the clear frontrunner in recent polls.

There will also be debates in Lowell and New Bedford, as well a sixth location. Moderators have not been chosen yet, but they are expected to be local reporters.

“While I would be happy to debate more frequently, the reality is that we have nine weeks left in this election, and both Ed and I have to spend time in Washington trying to fix the budget mess,” Lynch said in a joint statement. “So I think this debate schedule makes sense given the tight time frame of the election.”

Republican State Rep. Dan Winslow, meanwhile, announced Monday that he has collected nearly 25,000 signatures to secure a spot on the ballot in the GOP primary. Gabriel Gomez, another Republican candidate, needs to collect 10,000 signatures before the end of the month to force a primary. The general election to fill the seat opened by John Kerry’s move to the State Department is June 25.